"... takes priority over all other pending projects...."
"Your game is hopeless," scowled Perat. "I'm a queen and the exchange up on you."
"I always play the game out," replied Evelyn easily. "You never know what might happen. Your move."
"... five horizontal columns of metallic trans-scythium nine hundred xedars long will be found in a Terran storeroom, our area code...."
"All right, then. Queen takes pawn."
"Pawn to queen knight seven," replied Evelyn. It was her sole remaining pawn, and she hoped to use it in an odd way.
Perat checked with his queen at queen bishop four, and Evelyn's king slid to safety at queen knight eight. Perat moved his rook from queen knight five to queen five.
"Do you intend to mate with rook to queen's square next move?" asked Evelyn demurely.
"... under the strictest secrecy. Therefore you are ordered not to communicate...."
"Nothing can prevent it," observed the Viscount of Tharn somberly. He had already lost all interest in the game and was contemplating the ceiling tapestries. With a lurch she brought her telepathic probe to rest, ready to prepare a false front for his searching mind. She must keep him out a moment longer, or all was lost.